Start-Up Support

BRIDGE is the start-up support service of the University of Bremen, based within the UniTransfer department. BRIDGE also serves as the start-up network of Bremen’s higher education institutions and is the central point of contact for students, university members, and alumni on the topic of entrepreneurship.

In addition to the University of Bremen, which hosts the administrative office, the BRIDGE start-up network includes Bremen University of Applied Sciences, Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences, Constructor University, the University of the Arts Bremen, and Bremer Aufbau-Bank.

Since 2002, BRIDGE has offered a range of activities to support and promote start-ups. The support services for founders are continuously being developed and currently consist of three components: “Events for awareness and qualification,” “Consulting and funding programs,” and the “CAMPUSiDEEN competition.” These services are aimed at students, academic staff, and alumni of the participating higher education institutions.

In the frame of various course formats, the target groups are sensitized for the topic of "Entrepreneurship": The Bremen Start-Up Lounge, for instance regularly. Here, young entrepreneurs from the local region and beyond with whom BRIDGE is in contact have the opportunity to meet and share their start-up stories.

To further develop concrete start-up projects, BRIDGE offers the StartUp-Workout twice a year. In this program, prospective founding teams work in small groups to refine their business idea into a fully developed business concept.

Further information about the current course program.

In addition to initial counseling on start-up ideas and concepts, a major activity is counseling and accompaniment in the frame of support programs such as EXIST.

BRIDGE supports innovative start-up projects during the application and funding period of the federal programs EXIST Gründerstipendium [EXIST Business Start-Up Grant] and EXIST Forschungstransfer [EXIST Transfer of Research]. Applications for the EXIST programs are submitted through the universities and integrated by BRIDGE in a start-up network.

Further information on the subject of counseling and support programs.

CAMPUSiDEEN is the competition for business ideas and business concepts run by the BRIDGE start-up network. The competition takes place every two years.

Since 2003, more than 900 submissions have been received. This makes CAMPUSiDEEN one of the most consistent and successful competitions of its kind nationwide.

Further information and all documents relating to the competition.

In July 2019, the University of Bremen adopted its transfer strategy, further emphasizing the high importance of knowledge and technology transfer at the university. Spin-offs originating from the university represent an important component of the University of Bremen’s range of activities and services. The UniTransfer transfer office is operationally responsible for start-up advising and support.

The spin-off strategy adopted by the University of Bremen can be found here.

The Start-up Radar of the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft compares higher education profiles in the field of start-up support at German universities. In all editions of the Start-up Radar since 2012, the University of Bremen has consistently ranked among the top group.

In the nationwide Start-up Radar 2025 by the Stifterverband, the University of Bremen achieved 15th place among 48 large German universities. The press release can be found here.

Further information on the Start-up Radar of the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft can be found here.

The University of Bremen cooperates in the frame of BRIDGE i.a. with the following start-up stakeholdersThe University of Bremen cooperates in the frame of BRIDGE i.a. with the following start-up stakeholders.

BRIDGE - Supporting Start-ups form Bremen Universities

Meike Goos, Managing Director

0421-218-60346

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Agnieszka Kawecka, BRIDGE Office, Finances

0421-218-60345

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Ute Mai, BRIDGE Office, Internal Coordination

0421-218-60335

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Jeroen Langejan, Start-up Counceling

0421-218-57135